My Generation

Driving to lunch the other day, I was listening to a hip, young radio station. Usually I listen to sports talk radio, but since I would rather listen to deaf kids trying to harmonize than the Doug Gottlieb Show, I went with the standby music station.

A caller requested California Girls, which I thought was a strange request from the 15-year-old girl calling in. I didn't mind, though. The Beach Boys were a staple in my house growing up, and you can never go wrong with a classic. Instead of the high-pitched shrills of Brian Wilson, however, came a funky new Katy Perry song featuring Snoop Dogg.

Like a slap in the face, I realize I now have a "generation."

I started thinking about other defining icons of my generation that are now unheard of:

If you've ever zig zagged Bo Jackson up the field in Tecmo Bowl, you're from my generation.

If I tell you Girbauds were once the hottest thing and you don't have to Google "Girbaud" to know what I'm talking about, you're from my generation.

If I tell you it's best to start your trek in March as a banker, but not push it at a gruelling pace or Zeke might come down with Typhoid - and you know exactly what I'm talking about - you're from my generation.

If you still consider Mossimo to be a classy brand that you buy in upscale department stores, and not the generic, cheap brand at Target, you're from my generation.

If you've ever had Fruit Stripe gum and still remember the song from the Dunkaroos commercial, you're from my generation.

If you used to wear overalls with one strap undone, you're from my generation.

If you could answer any...and I mean ANY...question correctly in Saved by the Bell Trivia, you're from my generation.

If you see No. 23 on a jersey and immediately think of Michael Jordan and not Lebron James, you're from my generation.

If you ever anxiously awaited for the new Beckett to come out to assist you in trading cards (baseball, not Pokemon) with your friends, you're from my generation.

The list could go on, but I'm not sure I want it to. I still like to think I'm one of those rad guys that's down with it. But then I realize I'm just another dude looking back at my glory days saying things like "rad" and "down with it."

Oh well. I'm going to go play He-man versus Thundercats with my action figures now.